LOTUS GAIT are a band based in Denver, Colorado. With a shared passion for all things Metal and a take-no-prisoners attitude, the group rage unapologetically on their debut album, the wild and energetic "Virgin Blood." Having opened for guys like ANVIL, PRONG, and LORD DYING in the past, it's clear that this is a band that respects heavy music. Tut then, so do legions of other ho-hum bands trying to make it big. These guys however get things right with "Virgin Blood" by keeping their influences at an arm's length, plenty close enough to notice them, but far enough to let their music breathe on its own.

The action starts after a brief soundbite as the band pump out a series of riffs that go straight for the jugular on the album-opening title track. David Bartz stirs the pot with vocals straight off an early period RAZOR record, and shows himself to be quite capable as he adapts to the various changes in mood that the album takes. "Destroying The Night" is faster and just as defiant as its predecessor, but the band channel their angst here in a way that sounds somewhat like RISE AGAINST, while "Diggin' The Grave" meets these two approaches somewhere in the middle. The unifying element here is the band's clear sincerity in their playing. Far from merely trying to sound like a certain band(s), LOTUS GAIT sound hungry the whole way through "Virgin Blood," and they largely succeed in expressing themselves in a unique enough way while still adhering to the standard Metal tropes that inform their playing. "Broken" is fairly textbook in execution as far as ballads go, but is no less honest and powerful for it. The same can be said for "D.T.F.," a song that wastes no time with fancy wordplay and gets straight to business, bristling with a manic energy that suits the young band just fine.

"Virgin Blood" is a strong debut for these Mile High metalheads, who flex some solid songwriting muscle in addition to their instrumental fireworks. Highly recommended for fans of bands like ACCEPT, SAXON, and GYPSYHAWK.